Broad River (Carolinas)
Encyclopedia
- For other rivers with the same name, see Broad River (disambiguation).
The Broad River is a principal tributary
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of the Congaree River
Congaree River
The Congaree River is a short but wide river in South Carolina in the United States; It flows for only 47 miles . The river serves an important role as the final outlet channel for the entire Lower Saluda and Lower Broad watersheds, before merging with the Wateree River just north of Lake Marion to...
, about 150 miles (240 km) long, in western North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
and northern South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Via the Congaree, it is part of the watershed
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
of the Santee River
Santee River
The Santee River is a river in South Carolina in the United States, long. The Santee and its tributaries provide the principal drainage and navigation for the central coastal plain of South Carolina, emptying into the Atlantic Ocean approximately from its farthest headwater on the Catawba River...
, which flows to the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
.
Course
The Broad River originates in the Blue Ridge MountainsBlue Ridge Mountains
The Blue Ridge Mountains are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains range. This province consists of northern and southern physiographic regions, which divide near the Roanoke River gap. The mountain range is located in the eastern United States, starting at its southern-most...
of eastern Buncombe County, North Carolina
Buncombe County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 206,330 people, 85,776 households, and 55,668 families residing in the county. The population density was 314 people per square mile . There were 93,973 housing units at an average density of 143 per square mile...
and flows generally south-southeastwardly, through or along the boundaries of Rutherford
Rutherford County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 62,899 people, 25,191 households, and 17,935 families residing in the county. The population density was 112 people per square mile . There were 29,535 housing units at an average density of 52 per square mile...
, Polk
Polk County, North Carolina
Polk County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2010, the population was 20,510. Its county seat is Columbus.-History:The county was formed in 1855 from parts of Henderson County and Rutherford County...
and Cleveland
Cleveland County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 98,078 people, 37,046 households, and 27,006 families residing in the county. The population density was 207 people per square mile . There were 40,317 housing units at an average density of 87 per square mile...
Counties in North Carolina; and Cherokee
Cherokee County, North Carolina
- Transportation :Cherokee County is well known in North Carolina as the westernmost of the state's 100 counties. Several US and state highways serve the county, linking it with other regions of North Carolina, along with the neighboring states of Georgia and Tennessee.US 64 - the longest highway...
, York
York County, South Carolina
York County is a county located in the north-central section of the U.S. state of South Carolina. According to the 2010 census, the county's population was 226,073. It is the second largest county in the Charlotte metropolitan area...
, Union, Chester
Chester County, South Carolina
Chester County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. In 2000, its population was 34,068; in 2005 the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that its population had dropped to 33,228. Its county seat is Chester.-Geography and climate:...
, Fairfield, Newberry and Richland
Richland County, South Carolina
Richland County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The 2000 U.S. census recorded its population to be 320,677. In 2010, the U.S. Census Bureau recorded that its population had reached 384,504. It is the second most populous county in South Carolina, behind only Greenville...
Counties in South Carolina. In North Carolina , the river is dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
med to form Lake Lure; in South Carolina it passes through the Sumter National Forest
Sumter National Forest
The Sumter National Forest is one of two forests in South Carolina that are managed together by the United States Forest Service, the other being the Francis Marion National Forest. The Sumter National Forest consists of which are divided into several non-contiguous sections in western South...
and the communities of Cherokee Falls
Cherokee Falls, South Carolina
Cherokee Falls is a neighborhood of the town of Blacksburg in Cherokee County, South Carolina, United States. A former mill community along the Broad River, Cherokee Falls was a town until disincorporation and merger into Blacksburg in the 1990s. The former Cherokee Falls Cotton Mill is now a...
and Lockhart
Lockhart, South Carolina
Lockhart is a town in Union County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 488 at the 2010 United States Census.-Geography:Lockhart is located at ....
before joining the Saluda River
Saluda River
The Saluda River is a principal tributary of the Congaree River, about 200 mi long, in northern and western South Carolina in the United States...
to form the Congaree River
Congaree River
The Congaree River is a short but wide river in South Carolina in the United States; It flows for only 47 miles . The river serves an important role as the final outlet channel for the entire Lower Saluda and Lower Broad watersheds, before merging with the Wateree River just north of Lake Marion to...
in the city of Columbia
Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 129,272 according to the 2010 census. Columbia is the county seat of Richland County, but a portion of the city extends into neighboring Lexington County. The city is the center of a metropolitan...
.
Principal tributaries of the Broad River include the Green
Green River (North Carolina)
The Green River in North Carolina, United States, is perhaps best known as one of the extreme whitewater kayaking challenges in North America that is run on a regular basis....
, Second Broad
Second Broad River
The Second Broad River is a tributary of the Broad River in western North Carolina in the United States. Via the Broad and Congaree rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Santee River, which flows to the Atlantic Ocean....
and First Broad
First Broad River
The First Broad River is a tributary of the Broad River, about 60 mi long in western North Carolina in the United States . Via the Broad and Congaree Rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Santee River, which flows to the Atlantic Ocean ....
Rivers in North Carolina ; and the Bowens, Pacolet
Pacolet River
The Pacolet River is a tributary of the Broad River, about 50 miles long, in northwestern South Carolina in the United States . One of its principal headwaters tributaries also drains a small portion of western North Carolina. Via the Broad and Congaree Rivers, it is part of the watershed of the...
, Sandy
Sandy River (South Carolina)
The Sandy River and its tributary the Little Sandy River are short rivers in north-central South Carolina in the United States. The Sandy is a tributary of the Broad River; via the Broad and Congaree Rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Santee River, which flows to the Atlantic Ocean .The...
, Tyger, Enoree
Enoree River
The Enoree River is a tributary of the Broad River, 85 mi long, in northwestern South Carolina in the United States . Via the Broad and Congaree Rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Santee River, which flows to the Atlantic Ocean ....
and Little
Little River (Broad River)
The Little River is a tributary of the Broad River flowing through Fairfield County, South Carolina and forming a small portion of Fairfield's border with Richland County.-References:1. http://www.mapquest.com/maps?city=Jenkinsville&state=SC...
Rivers in South Carolina.
Dams
This is an incomplete list of dams starting at Lake Lure and moving downstreamNorth Carolina
- Lake Lure
- Cliffside Steam Station (Duke EnergyDuke EnergyDuke Energy , headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, is an energy company with assets in the United States, Canada and Latin America.-Overview:...
) on the Border of RutherfordRutherford County, North Carolina-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 62,899 people, 25,191 households, and 17,935 families residing in the county. The population density was 112 people per square mile . There were 29,535 housing units at an average density of 52 per square mile...
and ClevelandCleveland County, North Carolina-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 98,078 people, 37,046 households, and 27,006 families residing in the county. The population density was 207 people per square mile . There were 40,317 housing units at an average density of 87 per square mile...
Counties.
South Carolina
- Gaston Shoals Dam (GaffneyGaffney, South CarolinaGaffney is a city in and the county seat of Cherokee County, South Carolina, United States, in the upstate region of South Carolina. Gaffney is also sometimes referred to as the Peach capital of South Carolina. The population was 12,414 at the 2010 census...
) - Cherokee FallsCherokee Falls, South CarolinaCherokee Falls is a neighborhood of the town of Blacksburg in Cherokee County, South Carolina, United States. A former mill community along the Broad River, Cherokee Falls was a town until disincorporation and merger into Blacksburg in the 1990s. The former Cherokee Falls Cotton Mill is now a...
- Ninety Nine Islands Dam adjacent to the abandoned Cherokee Nuclear Power PlantCherokee Nuclear Power PlantThe Cherokee Nuclear Power Plant is an uncompleted energy project outside of Gaffney, South Carolina, United States. In the early 1970s, Duke Power started construction on a three-reactor nuclear power plant at the site. However, the project stalled due to economic problems by the early 1980s,...
- Dam and canal at LockhartLockhart, South CarolinaLockhart is a town in Union County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 488 at the 2010 United States Census.-Geography:Lockhart is located at ....
- Neal Shoals Dam
- Parr Shoals Dam forming Parr ReservoirParr ReservoirParr Reservoir is an impoundment of the Broad River in Peak, South Carolina. It is the last dam on the Broad River before the river reaches Columbia, South Carolina and the Columbia Canal. The lake is mainly used as a holding pond of sorts, as the water is pulled in and out and used to cool the...
- Columbia CanalColumbia CanalThe Columbia Canal is the surviving canal of a series of canals built by the State of South Carolina in 1824 using the labor of Irish immigrants to provide a direct water routes between the upstate settlements and the towns on the fall line. It is on the Congaree and Broad Rivers in Columbia,...
and Dam in ColumbiaColumbia, South CarolinaColumbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 129,272 according to the 2010 census. Columbia is the county seat of Richland County, but a portion of the city extends into neighboring Lexington County. The city is the center of a metropolitan...
Crossings
The Broad River is crossed several times by many highways (Note: this list at times may be incomplete)North Carolina
- U.S. 74
- Big Island Bridge
- McKinney Bridge
- U.S. 221
- U.S. 221A
- NC 108
- Gaffney Road (N.C. 150)
South Carolina
- GaffneyGaffney, South CarolinaGaffney is a city in and the county seat of Cherokee County, South Carolina, United States, in the upstate region of South Carolina. Gaffney is also sometimes referred to as the Peach capital of South Carolina. The population was 12,414 at the 2010 census...
/Cherokee CountyCherokee County, South CarolinaCherokee County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The county was formed in 1897 from parts of York, Union, and Spartanburg Counties. It is included in the Gaffney, South Carolina Micropolitan Statistical Area. According to the 2010 United States Census, the county's...
- Shelby Highway (S.C. 18)
- Interstate 85Interstate 85Interstate 85 is a major interstate highway in the Southeastern United States. Its current southern terminus is at an interchange with Interstate 65 in Montgomery, Alabama; its northern terminus interchanges with Interstate 95 in Petersburg, Virginia, near Richmond...
- Cherokee Avenue U.S. 29
- Hickory Grove Road (S.C. 211)
- ChesterChester County, South CarolinaChester County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. In 2000, its population was 34,068; in 2005 the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that its population had dropped to 33,228. Its county seat is Chester.-Geography and climate:...
and Union Counties- Pinkney Road (S.C. 9/49) in Lockhart, South CarolinaLockhart, South CarolinaLockhart is a town in Union County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 488 at the 2010 United States Census.-Geography:Lockhart is located at ....
- (S.C. 72) in Carlisle, South CarolinaCarlisle, South CarolinaCarlisle is a town in Union County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 436 according to the 2010 United States Census.-Geography:Carlisle is located at ....
- Pinkney Road (S.C. 9/49) in Lockhart, South Carolina
- Fairfield and Newberry Counties
- Newberry Road (S.C. 34)
- Parr Road (S.C. 213) in Peak, South CarolinaPeak, South CarolinaPeak is a town in Newberry County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 61 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Peak is located at...
- ColumbiaColumbia, South CarolinaColumbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 129,272 according to the 2010 census. Columbia is the county seat of Richland County, but a portion of the city extends into neighboring Lexington County. The city is the center of a metropolitan...
- Interstate 20Interstate 20Interstate 20 is a major east–west Interstate Highway in the Southern United States. I‑20 runs 1,535 miles from near Kent, Texas, at Interstate 10 to Florence, South Carolina, at Interstate 95...
- River Drive
- Interstate 126Interstate 126Interstate 126 is a spur route of Interstate 26, almost entirely within the city limits of Columbia, South Carolina in the United States. It runs 3.1 miles from I-26 just south of the junction with Interstate 20, eastward across the Broad River , and into downtown Columbia terminating at US 21/US...
- Interstate 20
Variant names
According to the Geographic Names Information SystemGeographic Names Information System
The Geographic Names Information System is a database that contains name and locative information about more than two million physical and cultural features located throughout the United States of America and its territories. It is a type of gazetteer...
, the Broad River has also been known as
- Eswa Huppeday
- Eswawpuddenah
- Line River
- Main Broad River
- Eswan Happedaw
It was also known in colonial times as the English Broad River to distinguish it from the French Broad River
French Broad River
The French Broad River flows from near the village of Rosman in Transylvania County, North Carolina, into the state of Tennessee. Its confluence with the Holston River at Knoxville is the beginning of the Tennessee River....
which also originates in western North Carolina, but flows northwest into what was then part of the claimed territory of New France
New France
New France was the area colonized by France in North America during a period beginning with the exploration of the Saint Lawrence River by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and ending with the cession of New France to Spain and Great Britain in 1763...
.
See also
- French Broad RiverFrench Broad RiverThe French Broad River flows from near the village of Rosman in Transylvania County, North Carolina, into the state of Tennessee. Its confluence with the Holston River at Knoxville is the beginning of the Tennessee River....
- List of North Carolina rivers
- List of South Carolina rivers